Is Your Brain a Muscle?
Our brain is not only a very important structure, but also very complex and somehow mysterious. It is a very important muscle, that needs to be trained. Until recently it was thought that neurons, unlike other issues, could not be regenerated, today it is known that it is not so. Brain training helps our brain to improve his cognitive and creative functions, and in the absence of mental activity, the number of neurons in the brain is gradually reduced, and he poorly copes with varied tasks.
Many of you are likely doing regular physical exercise, but have you worked on your mental fitness lately? You want your physical muscles to be strong, flexible, energized, and pliable, but do you want the same for the most important “muscle” in your body—the mind?
One of the world’s leading learning experts and brain coaches Jim Kwik believes that the brain muscle needs to be trained in the same way as other muscles. Kwik talked about the four rules you have to follow to keep your brain lean and toned.
1. Remember information
To train the brain in the same way as a muscle, you must regularly load it with small exercises. Kwik recommends that you set aside time every day (e.g. half an hour) that you can fully devote to yourself. During this period, the expert advises remembering one phone number of a friend or relative. When numbers become unbearably boring, you can start remembering other small pieces of information instead.
2. Keep a diet for the brain
There is a list of products that benefit the brain undeniably. Among them: avocado, blueberries, broccoli, leaf greens, walnuts, coconut oil, turmeric, eggs, salmon, dark chocolate, and water. It is worth noting that even remembering this list of products is also a good exercise for the brain. For better understanding, Kwik recommends remembering information in images using associations that you enjoy.
3. Learn to solve problems while sleeping
Another way to train the brain is to give it work while you sleep. Yes, you can do that too! Before you go to bed, pick a problem for your brain. It is not a question of emotional feelings, but of quite specific problems. For example, you need to come up with a meeting structure or a spending optimization scheme. Think about it before you go to sleep, and then right after you wake up. It’s quite possible that your brain found a solution during sleep.
4. Avoid negative thoughts
Jim Kwik recommends not to forget meditation and breathing exercises. The expert mentioned that stress has a negative impact on brain function. One effective way not to sink into depressive thoughts is to surround yourself with positive people. People around us have a huge influence on our mood, so do not underestimate the power of their words and actions.
Brain training, as compared to muscle training, is not always about exercise – much more often it is more about relaxation and pleasure, which are also beneficial.